"Injo Restoration Not a Mere Coup"... King’s Deposition Reinterpreted as 'Institutional Check' in the Joseon Political System

Hallym University Institute of Humanities Holds Academic Seminar on
"The Injo Restoration and the Joseon State System:
Review of the Procedure and Legitimacy of the 17th Century King's Impeachment"

The Institute of Humanities at Hallym University (President Choi Yanghee) held the 170th Academic Seminar on December 9 under the theme "The Injo Restoration and the Joseon State System: Review of the Procedure and Legitimacy of the 17th Century King's Impeachment."

Hallym University (President Choi Yanghee) Institute of Humanities held the 170th Academic Seminar on the 9th under the theme "The Injo Restoration and the Joseon State System: Examination of the Procedure and Legitimacy of the 17th Century King's Impeachment." Provided by Hallym University

Professor Oh Suchang (currently at the Institute of Humanities, Seoul National University; formerly in the Department of Korean History at Seoul National University and the Department of History at Hallym University), who delivered the presentation, began by defining the Injo Restoration as "the event in 1623 when officials used military force to depose the reigning King Gwanghaegun and install Injo as the new king."

Professor Oh initiated the discussion by pointing out that the Injo Restoration has generally been viewed merely as part of a power struggle among the ruling class of Joseon, and, in more severe assessments, as "a regressive event that usurped the throne from the capable King Gwanghaegun and brought about a national crisis." He stressed the need to re-examine these perspectives.

The presentation closely examined the entire process of King Gwanghaegun's ousting and King Injo's enthronement within the context of the Joseon state system, analyzing the procedures and logic by which these events were understood, how their historical legitimacy was debated, and the subsequent impact on national governance and political structure.

Through this analysis, the seminar demonstrated that the Injo Restoration can be understood not merely as a coup or power struggle, but within the actual functioning and institutional conditions of the Joseon political system. It also emphasized that the presentation could serve as an opportunity to reflect on the systemic crises facing contemporary Korean society within a historical context, beyond simply understanding the realities of Joseon politics.

Lee Kyunggu, Director of the Hallym Academy of Sciences at Hallym University, participated in the discussion, offering perspectives on the interpretation of historical sources, the theory of legitimacy, and changes in the state system. By comparing the Injo Restoration and the Jungjong Restoration, the discussion advanced debates on the legitimacy of Joseon's Confucian thought and political system, such as whether common precedents could be found between the two events.

Yang Taekeun, Director of the Institute of Humanities at Hallym University, stated, "This seminar provided a meaningful opportunity to newly understand the Injo Restoration from the perspective of institutional checks and the legitimacy of political culture," adding, "It was a valuable chance to exchange diverse opinions on how the topic of restoration in the Joseon era and the impeachments faced by Korean society today can be viewed in relation to each other."

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